Patent Application
20240272627
The invention relates to a method for operating a production machine, wherein, apart from its productive state, the machine can assume at least one non-productive state, which is generally referred to as a standby state, and there exists both incoming flows entering the production machine and outgoing flows leaving the production machine, each of which is either continuous or discontinuous. The invention further relates to a production installation which comprises at least one production machine.
The CN 111950767 A discloses an analysis system which involves energy efficiency and accesses a database. The analysis system processes, among other things, operating and maintenance data. Real-time data acquisition is intended here. The result of the energy efficiency analysis can be shown on a display and should be consulted as a basis for decision-making by operating and maintenance personnel.
DE 10 2013 111 497 A1 discloses a clothing treatment device that indicates energy efficiency and is intended to enable the user to check energy efficiency in real time. The clothing treatment device described in DE 10 2013 111 497 A1 includes, among other things, a heat pump.
EP 1 886 199 B1 describes an operating method for an evaluation device for a production machine, in particular a machine tool. As part of this operating method, sensors capture the actual states of the production machine during the production of a product. The captured states are then compared with predefined state combinations, with which fulfilled state combinations should be determined. Further evaluations can follow. The recording times of the states are particularly important here. Ultimately, the aim is to obtain statistical information about the production machine.
EP 2 522 202 B1 discloses a production machine having an operating state warning light device. The production machine can also be a machine tool in this case. The operating state warning light device, which is adapted for visually displaying a plurality of different operating states, can have a warning light surface that is at least 1 square meter in size.
A method for operating a production machine described in DE 10 2018 101 754 A1 assumes that, in a first step, production progress and a machine state of the production machine are captured by means of a sensor. In further steps, data sets are created, whereby, among other things, evaluations are carried out regarding production progress, the order volume and available production capacities.
DE 10 2012 206 082 A1 proposes a method for assessing a state of an installation and for initiating measures. As part of this method, energy and/or media data is recorded over a reference period of predefined duration in order to determine reference values. In a subsequent step of the method, data is recorded over a comparison period, the duration of which can correspond to the duration of the reference period. If the values recorded in the comparison period deviate too much from the associated values of the reference period, predefined measures can be initiated.
DE 10 2009 008 033 B3 relates to supplying different types of energy to energy-related objects. DE 10 2009 008 033 B3 mentions heat, cold, compressed air and electricity in detail. The requirement for each type of energy is a proportion of the maximum energy/power that can be distributed and should be determined using a neural network. Here, objects are viewed as neurons that are provided with interfaces adapted to individual phases of life cycles.
The invention is based on the object of specifying a resource-saving method, which has been further developed with respect to the prior art, for operating a production machine, in the context of which switching between different states of the machine takes place, wherein both material and non-material flows entering the machine and flows leaving from the machine must be taken into account in the broadest sense.
This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for operating a production machine according to claim 1. The method can be implemented in a production machine that has at least two different standby states. Each standby state can be distinguished from the producing state of the machine. Incoming and outgoing flows, comprising energy flows and material flows, occur depending on the state in both the producing state and in every standby state.
Each possible standby state is associated with a base rating, which depends on the period of time that elapses when changing the machine from the standby state to the productive state. The shorter the specified period of time is, i.e. the faster the return from the standby state to the productive state can be achieved, the higher the base rating is. In addition, further factors can influence the base rating in individual cases.
Key figures are assigned for the different standby states for each flow, be it material or non-material, wherein the more similarities the relevant flow has with the corresponding flow occurring in the productive state, the higher the key figure is. Each key figure is associated with a so-called future factor, which is set to one in the case of a constant weighting of the corresponding flow, but can also assume values above or below one to anticipate deviating, higher or lower weightings in the future. The key figures are assigned in simple method variants by the users of the production machine. In more complex variants, automatic generation of key figures can be provided on the basis of information stored in databases which allows conclusions to be drawn about likely future developments.
The key figures weighted with the future factors are added for each standby state on the input side and output side to weighted key figures on the input side and output side. State-specific overall rating factors are formed therefrom. Time-dependent state ratings for the individual standby states are thereby calculated by subtracting the product of time and the overall rating factor from the base rating of the relevant standby state.
The next step is to automatically determine the time for which the state rating of a first standby state corresponds to the state rating of a second standby state. This determined time is—also automatically—compared with an intended duration, for example entered by the operating personnel, for which the production machine is to be taken out of the productive state. Finally, a signal for changing to the standby state which has the lower overall rating factor compared to the at least one further standby state included in the calculation is outputted if the intended duration in which the machine is to be used non-productively is longer than the determined time.
The production machine, which can be operated according to the present method, can be integrated into a more comprehensive production installation according to claim 9.
One of the standby states can be defined as ECO mode. Compared to other possible non-productive operating states, ECO mode lies between two extremes: A first extreme is the full, immediate operational readiness of the production machine; a second extreme is the fully switched-off state of the production machine. In any case, at least in one of the standby states to be compared with one each other, there are flows of some kind which flow into the production machine or leave the production machine. A higher level of readiness to resume productive operation of the machine is usually accompanied by higher consumption and/or emissions. Conversely, switching off or throttling flows in the standby state usually means a longer duration required to fully restart the production machine.
The proposed operating method not only weighs up the various competing goals, i.e. the most spontaneous, all-time operational readiness on the one hand and the greatest possible shutdown of flows outside of the productive state on the other hand, but also takes into account foreseeable or estimable future developments in the weighing-up process. This means that at the current point in time, which requires a decision about the operating state of the machine, a particularly high weighting can be given to criteria, of which the importance will only increase in the future.
The standby state to which to switch is automatically determined by the proposed operating method. Further steps can either be triggered automatically or by the operating personnel of the production machine. In any case, non-linear time-dependent influences can be included in the state ratings in addition to influences with a direct time dependency, for example the consumption of electrical energy. This may include, for example, risks that cannot be understood as a function of time and which may be associated with the stopping of material or energy flows. Likewise, with the help of such qualitative ratings, dependencies on at least one further installation linked to the production machine can be included in the state ratings in a generalized manner.
The operating method is in particular configured to compare more than two possible standby states with each other, wherein, after the production machine has resumed productive operation, comparisons are made between the forecast underlying the switch to the selected standby state and actual quantities influenced by the switch.
Based on a comparison between more than two possible standby states, it is possible to store a plurality of actual scenarios, which include a switch to a standby state and a resumption of productive operation, and to evaluate them with artificial intelligence means to further develop the standby states and the algorithms used during switches. The evaluation of the various scenarios optionally includes, among other things, the times at which the states of the production machine changed or are expected to change.
Regardless of any evaluations, switching to one of the possible standby states can trigger a blocking time during which switching in the opposite direction is blocked.
A production machine configured to carry out the operating method according to the application can carry out any production steps. For example, it can be a machine for processing metal workpieces, for example by machining with a defined or undefined cutting edge. The machine can also be provided for the forming or primary shaping of workpieces—including through 3D printing. Additionally or alternatively, assembly steps, for example, are carried out by the production machine. In all cases, the production machine can be part of a more comprehensive production installation.
In typical embodiments of the production machine, at least in one of the selectable standby states, there are flows which include an electrical current and a compressed air flow on the input side and an at least indirectly induced gaseous flow on the output side. Other possible flows include, for example, flows of cooling lubricant and exhaust gas flows of any composition. Noise emissions also constitute a flow that can play a role in the present operating method.
In the following, an exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. In the drawings:
In the exemplary embodiment, a production machine marked overall with the reference sign 1 is a machine which is intended for grinding workpieces, with additional steps, including the handling of workpieces, optionally also being able to be carried out by the machine 1. A housing of the machine 1 is marked with 2 and a rotating machine element, that is, in the present case, a grinding wheel, with 3.
Input-side flows ES and output-side flows AS occur both during productive operation of the machine 1, i.e. here when grinding workpieces, and in non-productive phases. A distinction can be made between energy flows EN and material flows ST. Lines 4, 5 on the input side are used, among other things, to supply the machine 1 with liquid and gaseous media, in particular water, cooling lubricant and compressed air, wherein in the latter case there is an overlap between an energy feed and a media feed.
In general, input-side energy flows are referred to as ESEa, ESEb, etc. and input-side material flows are referred to as ESSa, ESSb, etc. An output-side energy flow ASEa can be in the form of a flow recovery. In particular, a CO2 emission should be mentioned as the output-side material flow ASSa, although this does not necessarily have to mean that CO2 is emitted directly by the machine 1. Rather, CO2 emissions can also be attributed to the operation of the machine 1, which are indirectly induced by the operation of the machine 1. A further output-side material flow ASSb is, among other things, a wastewater flow, which can be discharged through an output-side line 7. Gaseous substances that are emitted by the machine 1 can be discharged through an output-side line 8.
The tabular diagram outlined in
As an example, the inflow of water and the emission of CO2 can be seen in
In the simplest case, i.e. if the rating is expected to remain the same, the corresponding factor ZFE, ZFA is set to one. If an increasing importance of resource consumption or an emission is assumed, the relevant value ZFE, ZFA is set to an amount above one. Theoretically, in the case of decreasing importance, future factors ZFE, ZFA below one are also possible.
In each case, the individual key figures EEK, EAK are multiplied by the associated individual future factors ZFESa, ZFASa, as a result of which weighted input-side key figures ZEEK and weighted output-side key figures ZEAK, individually for each flow ESEa, ASEa, etc., are obtained. The weighted key figures ZEEK, ZEAK are added over all input and output flows EN, ST. In addition, there are other criteria SK, which are expressed in the form of input-side and output-side key figures EKa, AKa and in particular reflect discontinuous influences. Such an influence can in particular be that the availability of an installation complex, which includes the machine 1 or is linked to the machine 1, depends on the selected standby state of the machine 1. Such relationships are also captured in a generalized numerical manner and are included in the totaled weighted input-side and output-side key figures SZEK, SZAK. From these key figures SZEK, SZAK, an overall rating factor GZK is finally formed by addition, wherein the calculation process can be shortened in cases in which the future factor ZFE, ZFA is one. In any case, each standby state of the machine 1 is associated with a separate overall rating factor GZK.
The overall rating factor GZK indicates how quickly a state rating of the machine 1 changes. This is based on base ratings BB1, BB2, which are associated with each selectable standby state. The more similar the relevant state is to the productive operation of machine 1, the higher the base rating BB1, BB2. In the present case, for example, the base rating BB1 for the “machine on” state is set to 100 and the base rating BB2 for the standby state, which is referred to as ECO mode, is set to 70.
The state rating dependent on the time t is automatically calculated by subtracting the product of the associated overall rating factor GZK and the time t from the base rating BB1, as illustrated in
On the machine 1, there is a display field referred to as the ECO mode field 9, which displays in plain text whether the ECO mode is activated. Optionally, the €CO mode field 9 is integrated into a display device 11 of the machine 1. The display device 11 can be used, among other things, to display the operating hours attributable to the ECO mode as well as the total number of operating hours. It can also be displayed whether automatic activation of the ECO mode is intended in the current state. Control elements of the machine 1, including switches and buttons, are designated 10. The display device 11 can also fulfill the function of control elements in a manner known per se. In order to be able to recognize particularly quickly and easily whether the €CO mode is activated, the corresponding field 9 has a color coding. Here, for example, “green” means that the ECO mode is switched off and the machine is in the “on” state, i.e. in the practically immediately operational state, with which base rating BB1 is associated. However, if the ECO mode field 9 appears in the color “orange”, this means that the production machine 1 is in ECO mode. The ECO mode field 9 can be designed as a button with which the ECO mode can be activated or deactivated, provided that the necessary requirements are met and no automatic switching is carried out by the evaluation unit 12.
To explain the operating method which includes at least one operating phase in the ECO mode, reference is made below to the flowchart according to
In step S6, a comparison is made as to whether an expected downtime of the machine 1 is greater or less than the calculated limit time to. If the calculated time to is expected to be exceeded, the next step S7 checks whether further requirements for changing the standby state are met. In particular, the requirement is that a change to €CO mode is not blocked by the operating personnel. If the necessary requirements are met, the standby state is changed in step S8, i.e. the ECO mode is activated. Depending on the settings selected, this can also be done automatically, in which case the time until the ECO mode is automatically activated is displayed.
If a reset to the previous state is desired, step S9 checks whether a required waiting time, during which the ECO mode must be maintained, has already expired. The waiting time, which is also referred to as the remaining time of the ECO mode, is displayed to the operating personnel. If the waiting time has not yet expired, only the corresponding change request entered by the user is captured in step S11 and there is otherwise a return to the query, i.e. step S9. If all the requirements for canceling the ECO mode are met, the previous state of the machine 1 is restored in step S10 and operation is continued in step S12, as is the case if it is determined in step S6 that no exceedance of the time to is to be expected.
In step S13, data recorded during operation of the production machine 1 including the ECO mode are transmitted to a database DB, wherein a data transfer can also take place at any other time. Data from the database DB is transmitted in step S14. In the following step S15, the data obtained in the current case is compared with stored information that relates to processes that have already expired and been evaluated. The result of this evaluation, which includes artificial intelligence means, may be that settings of the ECO mode need to be changed, which happens in step S16. Even without any changes to the ECO mode, data is returned to the database DB in step S17, which enables the algorithms used to select and further develop the best standby state to be successively optimized. The completion of the method is referred to as step S18.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2021 117 244.6 | Jul 2021 | DE | national |
The present application is the U.S. National Phase of PCT Patent Application Number PCT/DE2022/100345, filed on May 5, 2022, which claims priority to German Patent Application Serial Number 10 2021 117 244.6, filed on Jul. 5, 2021, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/DE2022/100345 | 5/5/2022 | WO |
